EMPTY charity collecting tins, cash boxes and a till found dumped beside a lake in Royal Wootton Bassett have come from burglaries in Malmesbury.

Some of the collection tins were discovered at Jubilee Lake in Royal Wootton Bassett on Sunday with chains still tied to them, while a red cash tin and a till drawer appear to have been prised open.

The bundle, which included a Dorothy House Hospice can and another belonging to the Great Western Air Ambulance, was discovered at the popular beauty spot by officers from the Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade Neighbourhood Police Team.

Today Malmesbury police said there had been three burglaries in the town the night before.

In a statement they said: “The offenders have forced entry to business premises via the windows and stolen tills, cash boxes and charity boxes all containing cash, at locations in or very close to the High Street, Malmesbury.

“Some of the empty containers were found in Abbey Gardens, Malmesbury and the rest are the items that were dumped in Jubilee Lake, Royal Wootton Bassett.”

On Monday, shortly after the find, PC Stewart Hulme, from Wootton Bassett Police, said: “We don’t have a great deal at the moment from a CSI point of view,” he said. It had rained heavily over night between Friday and Saturday meaning some of the detail on the collecting tins had been damaged.

One of the collecting tins belongs to the Lucy Air Ambulance charity, which is raising money for a specialised air ambulance service that can transfer seriously ill children, including those needing intensive care, to hospitals in England and Wales.

Anyone who thinks they may have information about the thefts is asked to contact Wootton Bassett Police on 101 and quote occurrence number *75485. People can also private message the neighbourhood police team on their Facebook page - Royal Wootton Bassett & Cricklade Police.